Metabones "Speed Booster" lens adapter at DVinfo.net

Tim Dashwood · January 14th, 2013, 08:03 PM

Metabones has released the first in its series of "Speed Booster" adapters. It uses an optical reduction lens that widens the angle of view by 0.71x, improves MTF, and increases light transmittance by 1-stop (twice as bright.) Canon EF is the first version available and Leica R, ALPA, Contarex, Contax C/Y and Nikon F (with aperture control for G lenses) versions will follow soon.

Metabones - Metabones and Caldwell Photographic Introduce Speed Booster

So how does it increase the speed of the lens? It’s a basic optical imaging law known as the “Lagrange Invariant” or simply the optical invariant. Reducing the resultant image size will increase the overall brightness by the same factor (minus a tiny loss due to diffraction.) However, the depth of field will remain the same as the actual focal length and aperture used on the taking lens (as shown in the test shots above.)

This is good news for those of us who shoot high-speed with our FS700 cameras. An extra stop comes in very handy when shooting at 240fps!

It is an old concept that has been done a few times, first by Angeneuix/Zeiss and most recently in JVC’s HZ-CA13U 16mm to 1/3″ adapter. Some technical info and test results are in this review I wrote a few years ago. http://www.dashwood3d.com/downloads/HZ-CA13U.pdf

I am surprised by the considerably low price (compared to $4000 of the JVC adapter) and the fact that it does not invert the image. I’m looking forward to testing out the Nikon version on my FS700 when it is released.

Phil Bloom · January 15th, 2013, 02:57 AM

Hey Tim

All great points. It's all about "effective" or "equivalent" as you know. The lens wont change, just how camera sees it. like the JVC did. So the camera does effectively get more light, by a stop so the lens effectively becomes brighter when of course it actually hasn't!

Anyway, for that price i think it is remarkable and revolutionary. :)

Am in Toronto in March. Be great to catch up properly!

P

Chris Hurd · January 15th, 2013, 02:14 PM

Thanks, fellows!

Please continue the discussion already in progress here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/digital-...d-booster.html

Much appreciated,

January 14th, 2013, 08:03 PM	#1
Tim Dashwood Wrangler Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 3,637	Metabones "Speed Booster" lens adapter Metabones has released the first in its series of "Speed Booster" adapters. It uses an optical reduction lens that widens the angle of view by 0.71x, improves MTF, and increases light transmittance by 1-stop (twice as bright.) Canon EF is the first version available and Leica R, ALPA, Contarex, Contax C/Y and Nikon F (with aperture control for G lenses) versions will follow soon. Metabones - Metabones and Caldwell Photographic Introduce Speed Booster So how does it increase the speed of the lens? It’s a basic optical imaging law known as the “Lagrange Invariant” or simply the optical invariant. Reducing the resultant image size will increase the overall brightness by the same factor (minus a tiny loss due to diffraction.) However, the depth of field will remain the same as the actual focal length and aperture used on the taking lens (as shown in the test shots above.) This is good news for those of us who shoot high-speed with our FS700 cameras. An extra stop comes in very handy when shooting at 240fps! It is an old concept that has been done a few times, first by Angeneuix/Zeiss and most recently in JVC’s HZ-CA13U 16mm to 1/3″ adapter. Some technical info and test results are in this review I wrote a few years ago. http://www.dashwood3d.com/downloads/HZ-CA13U.pdf I am surprised by the considerably low price (compared to $4000 of the JVC adapter) and the fact that it does not invert the image. I’m looking forward to testing out the Nikon version on my FS700 when it is released. __________________ Tim Dashwood

January 15th, 2013, 02:57 AM	#2
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	Re: Metabones "Speed Booster" lens adapter Hey Tim All great points. It's all about "effective" or "equivalent" as you know. The lens wont change, just how camera sees it. like the JVC did. So the camera does effectively get more light, by a stop so the lens effectively becomes brighter when of course it actually hasn't! Anyway, for that price i think it is remarkable and revolutionary. :) Am in Toronto in March. Be great to catch up properly! P __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

January 15th, 2013, 02:14 PM	#3
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Re: Metabones "Speed Booster" lens adapter Thanks, fellows! Please continue the discussion already in progress here: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/digital-...d-booster.html Much appreciated, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!